REPORT ON PROCEEDINGS UNDER THE WORLD ANTI-DOPING CODE AND THE USADA PROTOCOL UNITED STATES ANTI-DOPING AGENCY, Claimant, v. LANCE ARMSTRONG, Respondent. REASONED DECISION OF THE UNITED STATES ANTI-DOPING AGENCY ON DISQUALIFICATION AND INELIGIBILITY ____________________________ United States Anti-Doping Agency 5555 Tech Center Drive, Suite 200, Colorado Springs, CO 80919 Ŷ Tel: 719.785.2000 Ŷ Fax: 719.785.2001
[email protected] Ŷ www.usada.org TABLE OF CONTENTS I. SUMMARY OF USADA’S REASONED DECISION…………………………………………….5 II. CHARGES AGAINST LANCE ARMSTRONG…………………………………………………...7 III. BACKGROUND…………………………………………………………………………………… 9 A. Commencement of USADA’s Broad Investigation of Doping in Cycling……………………...9 B. Criminal Investigation…………………………………………………………………………. 11 C. USADA’s Notice of Anti-Doping Review Board Proceedings and Notice of Opportunity to Contest USADA’s Charges in Arbitration……………………………………………………...11 D. Armstrong’s Filing of Federal Lawsuit…………………………………………………………12 E. Federal Court’s Order Dismissing Armstrong Lawsuit…………………………………………13 F. Armstrong’s Refusal to Contest Charges Against Him in Arbitration Hearing Before Neutral Arbitrators……………………………………………………………………………………….13 IV. DISCUSSION OF THE EVIDENCE SUPPORTING USADA’S CHARGES………………...15 A. Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………..15 1. Standard of Proof……………………………………………………………………………15 2. Means of Proof: Non-Analytical Evidence and Laboratory Evidence……………………..15 B. Chronological Review of Evidence of Lance Armstrong’s Possession, Use, Trafficking and Administration of Banned Performance Enhancing Drugs and Other Relevant Events……..16 1. 1998…………………………………………………………………………………………16 a. Possession and use of EPO at the Vuelta a España…………………………………….18 b. Possession and use of cortisone………………………………………………………..19 c. Use of a saline infusion at the World Championships…………………………………20 2. 1999………………………………………………………………………………………..20 a. Focus on the Tour de France…………………………………………………………...21 b. The “A” Team………………………………………………………………………….22 c.